EASY Tips for Keeping the Kitchen Sparkling Clean!

Another of my favorite websites, Food 52, sends me information that is sometimes just too good not to share. Following is a perfect example: Want to know how to easily keep your kitchen sparkling clean? We can thank Food 52’s editors and managers for these 7 smart tips:


1. Cut oily, dusty kitchen grime:
The secret is a microfiber cloth. To easily clean the layer of sticking cooking-oil infused dust that accumulates on high surfaces in the kitchen, use a microfiber cloth dipped constantly in very hot water—and ONLY very hot water. The idea is basically to use heat to soften the caked-on oil, so the hotter the water the better.


2. Get gunk out of kitchen crevices:
To clean out all of those nasty dry bits (flour! dried egg! cocoa powder! pudding and whipped cream splatters! etc!) that get stuck in the crevices of stand mixers and other counter-top appliances, use a toothpick or pointy-ended skewer. It's satisfying to excavate all of the materials of baking-projects-past and then wipe them up with a damp cloth. Be sure to unscrew the little knob where you can affix attachments to the mixer; there's always a lot of gunk hiding under there.


3. Banish lingering kitchen smells faster:
Simmer white vinegar on the stovetop to dissipate any unwanted kitchen smells (think fried bacon, seared flank steak, or broiled fish). The bubbling vinegar helps clear out the air more quickly. And after it simmers for awhile, turn the burner off and let the vinegar sit; it continues to do its job. You’ll notice after a short while that your home will smell wonderfully like nothing.


4. Shine up your cooktop:
The quick and thorough fix for burnt-on spills and splatters is Easy-Off Oven Cleaner®. And with this comes the age-old maxim: “A stitch in time saves nine.” Keep on top of stove-top mess—attack as soon as they happen and clean-up is always quicker and easier.


5. Get rid of all the fruit flies:
Halve two to three pieces of citrus and place them in your oven directly on the rack. Leave the oven door propped open for a few hours (or up to overnight). In the morning, close the oven door and turn the broiler on for just a few minutes. Let the oven cool, toss the citrus, and wipe out the base of the oven. The flies are gone and your kitchen smells good to boot.


6. Make your white sink WHITE again:
It’s all about lemon + baking soda for sink cleaning. Anytime you have leftover lemon from cooking or juicing, before tossing that lemon half, sprinkle some baking soda in the sink and use it as a scrubber. This will not only whiten the porcelain, it will save your sponge from nasty sink germs a little longer!


7. Easily clean grout:
Re-imagine every elementary school science fair volcano as a tile and grout cleaner. If your tiles are flat (maybe on a shower shelf or kitchen counter), sprinkle baking soda along the grout lines, and then pour or spray white vinegar over the baking soda and watch it fizz! If the tiles are vertical, make a thick paste of baking soda and a little water; apply it to the grout, let sit, and then spray with vinegar. After letting it sit for a few minutes, use a toothbrush to scrub it clean. It may not be tough enough for deep stains (so CLR might be needed), but make it part of your regular shower cleaning routine to prevent future stain and mold issues.

Sources:
  •   www.food52.com

    Alice Osborne
    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
    Email the author! alice@dvo.com


blog comments powered by Disqus